A digital signal computer, or digital signal processor (DSP), is a special purpose computer that is designed to optimize performance for digital signal processing applications, such as, for example, fast Fourier transforms, digital filters, image processing, signal processing in wireless systems, and speech recognition. Digital signal processor applications are typically characterized by real time operation, high interrupt rates and intensive numeric computations. In addition, digital signal processor applications tend to be intensive in memory access operations and to require the input and output of large quantities of data. Digital signal processor architectures are typically optimized for performing such computations efficiently.
Digital signal processors may include components such as a core processor, memory, a DMA controller, an external bus interface, and a serial port interface on a single chip or substrate. The components of the digital signal processor are interconnected by a bus architecture which produces high performance under desired operating conditions.
Such complex digital systems frequently include two or more clock domains which operate at different clock frequencies. For example, processors and on-chip memories may operate at the highest clock frequency and peripheral interfaces may operate at a lower clock frequency. In the operation of the system, digital signals must cross between clock domains. In prior art systems, synchronizers have been used for clock domain conversion. However, synchronizers add latency and degrade system performance.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods and apparatus for clock domain conversion in digital processing systems.